Liquid measuring device



DeC- 9, l95z v. s. KucKl LIQUID MEASURING DEVICE 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Aug. 28, 1946 Dec. 9, 1952 v. s. KUcKl 2,620,947

LIQUID MEASURING DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 194e 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 @f Lf' #E22 Patented ec. 9, i952 UNITED PATENT OFFICE 3,620,941 f HQUID fMEAsURINe 'DaviesY 'incentzS.-.K11eki, C heago,jlll. ,nppiieationnugust 2s, 194s, serial No. 693,561

.4.Claims. i1 e This invention is animprovemenjt of thegdevice described ,and claimed in Vmy' "prier-v :Patent 2,317,068, issued April A.9.0; 1943, andv one of the objects of the present"invenijipn is to improve and simplify ythe construction of 'Suche device, and enable the k saine vto be more easily manufactured.

A further object is to'provideimproved means for controlling the air inlettllbe. whereby `air will be `admitted into the c ontaigner'to' permit the liquid to .be dschargedthereirom,and also to prevent the liquid from being ,delivered or from leaking through the ,airjinl'et A still further object v to provide .improved means for attaching `or securingthe measuring device to VAa bottle .orcontainer from which the liquid is dispensed.

'I o the attainment o'f vthese ends and ,the accomplishment of othernew and'useful objects as will appear, the nvelltionconsists .the ,features lof novelty insubstantially theeonstrueiien, eembination and arrangement .of the `Several parte, hereinafter more fully described Yand olairned, and Shown .in 'the accompanying .drawings illus- Gratins this` invention. in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View nf ,a device yof this character, ponstructediniaccordance .with the Yprineiplesef thisnvention. showing the Asameippled to afbottle, and in 'an upright position, a ,portion of the `neckgvzifthe `bottle being shown in section.

Fig. :2 is a sectional view of thedeyi-ce upon being `tilted to pouring position from gthe .rester non-pmiring position shown inil Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 .S asimilar VSectional view .showing :the device Vin pouring position at Jtheendhf 'a pouring operation and prior toloeing restored 'to Ithe non-pouring or rest v poSiiiQIl'shown inV Fig. 1

Fig. '4 is a detail section arviewon"line "4 4, Fig. l1, with vparts omitted.

Fig. -5 is a sectionalyiewongline 5-`5, LFig. with parts omitted.

Fig. 46 Vis a lsectional View online 6;6, fFig. 'A1, with parts omitted.

Fig. "I is a sectional ,View on line "lf-e1, Fig. '11, with parts omitted.

Fie. 81s detail ,perepeetivefriew of one efpthe valves. A

Fig. 9 ,is 4a detailperspectre '.viewf astop device for one of the. valve -mechanisms ,and valveretaningdevice.

Fig. 10 lis a detail sectional view :oniline .lill-Ail, Fig. A-1, withpartsomitted. f

Fig'. 11 is a View similar to Flig'f. .10,with one .of the Aparts in a difieren-t position.

VReferring -more particularly tothe drawings, the numeral ldesignates a casing', which may be of any suitablesize -andooniiguratiom and constructed ofv any suitable r material, either transparent or opaque, and which is .adapted to be removably secured to a liquid supplyhlderJor container, such as'a bottleorthelike.

The casing is 4provided with .a M dischargeoutlet l5. A `ball valve H ico-operates with a Vvalveseat 18, -to -form a closure for -the casing when .the same `ifs held erect, tosclose the casing, and, lwhen the casing is tilted, the valve H will `enter a channel or raceway 19, `to prevent 4closing the outlet I6, so as -to allow the Vliquid tov be dis.- charged from 4the casing.l The .casing-proper ,is detachably secured vto a `base .20, ypreferablyby means of screw threads 2|, to permit the parts to :be separated, whereby .entrance may ballad to the interior of tl'iecasing.4

Depending from the base '.20 .an extension, having a passage :23 therethrough-for liquidi @nd forming an entrance Vopening vto the casing gli. This extension is .provided with ,ayseconjd -passage 24, .which opens through the sidepf ptheextension,.as at g2 5, :forithe admissionofgair. -`(lne-,end of a tube 2B is'insertedinto the passage 2 4, Aand thentube extends any desired or-suitable distance beyond .the end of thepXtensiQn-ZL .At the other en d Y,of ,the tubeis apreferably cylindrical yalve housing ,21 containing va ballfvalve l.7.9 fsubstan.- ltiajlly filling jbut free to roll-,within fthe fbore of ,the housing betweentheoppositefends. thereof.

One end i of the Ctube Giornis a valve .vvseat.-3,0. Iwithin an endofthe housing 2.1,.tlieother en d f2.8 .fof the housing beine `.partially er completely closed to form .a -seat 3| Lfor retaining the ball Valve within thehousing. {Ihesevalve-seats .,310 and 3 1 .are ,spaced .from each rother .a .substantial distance, sothat v.when.thecasing -l 5 is .ereot, the ballwill'engage the seatj, lbut,.whenp tilted, it willengage the `ball retaining. seat r3,0. The VhousingV ,is Y,also provided 'with Qpeiiins .3.2 ,through its' wail. midwaybetween 'the 'valvegseats 30 and 31,' for Va purpose 'to be describedandiri a 4position that it `will .not be closed ,by 'the .telve lill;

The passage 2.3.1mav ,be ef any desired eize'erid shape, and encompassing the upper end of the passage is a valve seat 33. A bearing opening 34 extends through the extension 22 and the base 20. This opening is preferably located centrally of the extension, and receives the stem 35 of a floating valve 36 (see particularly Fig. 8). The stem is tubular, and, at its lower end, is split or shaped to form resilient portions or fingers 31, and projecting laterally from the periphery of one of said portions or fingers is a lug or extension 38.

The extension 22 is provided with a recess 39 (shown more clearly in Figs. 10 and 11) in its Wall, at the lower end thereof, for the reception of the lug 38, when the valve and stem are in position, and the recess is of a length greater than the lug, to permit of a relative longitudinal movement of the stem in its bearing, to unseat and seat the valve 36. The recess is also of a width to prevent the valve 36 and the stem from rotating.

A rod or member 40 having a threaded end 4I and a head 42, is adapted to be inserted into the tubular stem 35 from the resilient end thereof, and has threaded engagement with the valve 36. The member 46 is of a diameter that when the lug 38 is seated in the recess 39, it will maintain the lug therein; but the valve 36, together with the member 40, will be free to reciprocate in the opening 34 of the extension 22, thereby allowing the valve to have free movement by the tilting or inverting action of the casing I5. When, however, the member 40 is removed, the valve 36 and stem 35 may be removed by rotating the valve with respect to the extension 22. This will cause the lug 38 to ride out of the recess 39, as the resilient ends 31 of the stem will be contracted.

The end of the member 40 is adapted to be projected through the valve 36, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by rotation of the member through the medium of the head 42, so as to form an adjustable stop device, as will be described, to vary the amount of liquid delivered into the casing I when the container is tilted to deliver the liquid into the casing.

Within the casing I5 is a freely reciprocable piston or plunger 43, which is hollow and is provided wth openings 44 through the bottom thereof, a recess 45 being provided in the top surface thereof, so as not to interfere with the Valve and valve seat I1-I8. Within the piston 43 is a floating valve 46, which is preferably weighted, -and is heavier than the piston, and controls the openings 44. This valve is preferably supported by a spider 41, and guided by a stem 43 that passes freely through the spider. This support or spider 41 is spaced a substantial distance from the inner face of the bottom of the plunger or piston 43, so that the valve will be free to gravitate in one direction or the other, with respect to the piston, according to the position into which the casing I5 is moved. The end of the stem 48 is positioned to engage the end of the member 40. It will therefore be seen that as the member 40 is adjustably supported by the valve 36, it can be projected any desired distance beyond the valve 36, and will be engaged by the end of the stem 48 of the valve 46. This will control or regulate the amount of liquid that will be allowed to pass through the openings 44 to the other side of the piston or plunger 43.

Secured to the bottom 20 of the casing I5, such as by means of screws 49, or other suitable fastening means, is a sleeve 50, which encompasses the extension 22, and is provided with peripheral screw threads 5I. The sleeve is provided with an open recess 52, in which a gasket 52EL may be arranged, so that when the device is attached to a bottle, the mouth of the bottle will extend into the recess and the gasket will abut the end of the neck. A clamp is provided to secure the device in position, with the extension 22 projecting into the bottle. This clamp embodies an internally threaded body portion 53, and a plurality of spaced springs or resilient fingers 54, having inwardly projecting lips or shoulders 55 at the extremities thereof. These lips are adapted to engage under the usual circumferential shoulder 56 on the neck 51 of a bottle, and when the lips are engaged under such shoulder, a collar 58 is forced over the fingers to hold them rmly in engagement with the shoulder 56. Stops 56 may be provided on the fingers to prevent the collar 58 from becoming disengaged from the clamp device.

By the provision of the threaded or adjustable connection between the clamp 53 and the collar 50, the clamp may be adjusted with respect to the base 20 of the casing I5, to adapt the device for attachment to bottles of varying sizes and to bottles having the shoulder 56 located at different distances from the end of the neck. The clamping device also insures a liquid tight joint between the bottle and the measuring device, as it is possible, when the parts are assembled, to adjust the clamping device with respect to the casing I5, to force the gasket 522i against the end of the bottle neck.

It is thought that the operation of this device will be clearly understood from the foregoing, but, briefly stated, it is as follows:

Before the device is attached to a bottle, the member 40 is adjusted to project the end thereof the required distance beyond the valve 36, according to the amount of liquid it is desired that the device will dispense. The device is then placed in position on the bottle, with the clamping ngers engaging under the shoulder 56 of the bottle neck, after which the casing and clamp are relatively rotated to force the gasket 52 against the end 'ofthe' bottle neck. The bottle and casing arethen tilted a suicient distance to unseat the valve 36, to permit liquid to flow into the casing I5, beneath the piston 43. The piston 43 and the valve 46 will move towards the discharge outlet I6 of the casing l5, and the space between the bottom 20 of the casing and the piston 43 and valve 46, will be filled with the liquid. During this operation the ball valve 29 will move into engagement with the seat 30, to prevent liquid from flowing out of the air inlet tube 26. The bottle and the casing I5 are then arighted, which will cause the valve 36 to close and the ball valve 29 to move into engagement with the seat 3|, to permit air to enter the bottle throughthe tube and outlet 32. In this arighted position, the piston 43 will gravitate, as will also the valve 46, but as the valve is weighted and is heavier than the piston, it will, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, move in advance of the piston, and the liquid beneath the piston will flow through the openings 44 to the other side of the piston.

When the parts reach the rest position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, a measured quantity of liquid will be trapped in the casing I5 above the valve 46 and the piston 43, so that upon the next tilting of the bottle and container, this measured amount of liquid will be dispensed, while, at the same time, a new supply is owing into the dlspenser behind'the pistonanfval-ve Mito be dispensed when the bottle is Subsequently tilted.,

lFhe'liquid vabove the piston, when the casing'is erect,'will be protected by the valve I'lfengaging itsseat l8,but by reason or thechannelvorlrunway I9 for this ball valve, fthe discharge outlet I6 will not be closed thereby, *upon tilting or inverting the bottle andfcasing'l 5.

With lthis improved "clamping means, the 'device 'may .be readily fremoved land applied to another bottle or container-"andbeing adjustable. can be readily adjusted to fit bottles of various constructions.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A device for dispensing measured quantities of liquid from a supply container having an outlet orice through which liquid may be discharged, comprising a casing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening at opposite ends thereof, said casing being formed for attachment on the container with said inlet opening of the casing in communication with the outlet orice of said container, a one-way valve at said inlet opening allowing liquid flow therethrough into said casing, a piston valve freely movable in said casing and adapted to gravitate toward said outlet opening when the container and casing are tilted in pouring position, to thereby discharge liquid in front of said piston valve from said casing and simultaneously to draw liquid, into the casing behind the piston valve, through said one-way valve, said piston valve being adapted to gravitate away from said outlet opening, when the container and casing are in nonpouring position, to pass a measured quantity of liquid through and into dispensing position in front of said piston valve, an air inlet comprising a tube supported on said casing in position to extend into the container, through said outlet oriflce, when the casing is in mounted position on the container, said tube having open communication with the atmosphere outwardly of said casing, the casing remote end of the tube forming a valve seat, a ball valve adapted to seat by gravity upon said seat to close said tube, when the casing is in pouring position, and to uncover the end of the tube, when the casing is in non-pouring position, a cylindrical sleeve sealed at one end on said casing remote end of the tube in position exposing said end, and the seat formed there,- by, within said sleeve, said sleeve being sized to snugly receive said ball valve for rolling movement therein toward and away from said seat, said sleeve being formed with a lateral perforation intermediate its ends, and the seat remote end of the sleeve having an inwardly turned portion dening a central opening whereby to retain the ball valve in said sleeve and permit uid flow through said central opening,

2. A device for dispensing liquid from a supply container having an outlet orifice, comprising a casing adapted for attachment on said container in communication with said orice, one-Way valve mechanism in said casing through which liquid to be dispensed may be poured from the container when the same and the attached casing are tilted in pouring position, an air inlet comprising a tube supported on said casing in position to extend into 61 the container, nthrough said :outlet prince, wwhen the casingtis in mounted position-:on nthe econtainensaid tubeshaving nnen communicationwith theatmosphereioutwardly;of:saidfcasinggthecasing remote endzof-xthe tubezforming'a valve seat, a ball valve adaptedto seat fby gravity uponfsaid seat to close fsaid `vtube, when ithe lcasing .is in pouring .position,andlto uncover the end of the tube, when the casing is in non-pouring position,

a cylindrical sleevesealedl at oneend on said casing remote end of the .tube Jin position exposing said end, and the seat formed thereby, within said sleeve, said sleeve being sized to snugly receive said ball valve for rolling movement therein toward and away from said seat, said sleeve being formed with a lateral perforation intermediate its ends, and the seat remote end of the sleeve having an inwardly turned portion defining a central opening whereby to retain the ball valve in said sleeve and permit fluid iiow through said central opening.

3. A device for dispensing liquid from a, supply container having an outlet orifice, comprising a casing adapted for attachment on said container in communication with said oriiice, one-way valve mechanism in said casing through which liquid to be dispensed may be poured from the container when the same and the attached casing are tilted in pouring position, an air inlet comprising a tube supported on said casing in position to extend into the container, through said outlet orifice, when the casing is in mounted position on the container, said tube having open communication with the atmosphere outwardly of said casing, said casing remote end of the tube forming a valve seat, a ball valve adapted to seat by gravity upon said seat and close said casing remote end of said tube, when said casing is in pouring position, and to uncover said end of the tube when the casing is in non-pouring position, and a cage on said tube for retaining said ball valve in operative position at the end of the tube, said cage being laterally perforated whereby the end of the tube may have open communication with the interior of the container when said ball valve is in open position, the seat remote end of the cage being formed with inwardly extending portions dening a central opening allowing free liquid flow into and out of the cage through said central openmg.

4. A device for dispensing liquid from a supply container having an outlet orifice, comprising a casing adapted for attachment on said container in communication with said orice, one-way valve mechanism in said casing through which liquid to be dispensed may be poured from the container when the same and the attached casing are tilted in pouring position, an air inlet comprising a tube supported on said casing in position to extend into the container, through said outlet orice, when the casing is in mounted position on the container, said tube having open communication with the atmosphere outwardly of said casing, said casing remote end of the tube forming a valve seat, a ball valve adapted to seat by gravity upon said seat and close said casing remote end of said tube, when said casing is in pouring position, and to uncover said end of the tube when the casing is in non-pouring position, and a cylindrical sleeve sealed on the end of the tube and sized to closely retain the ball valve for free rolling movement therein toward and away from the valve seat, and inturned means formed on the sleeve to limit movement of the ball valve therein away from said seat, said inturned means be- 7 ing formed with a central opening allowing free liquid flow into and out of the sleeve at its Seat remote end, said sleeve having a lateral opening therethrough, adjacent said valve seat, to maintain open communication of said tube with the interior of the container when said ball valve is in valve open position in said sleeve.

VINCENT S. KUCKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Seiler Sept. 10, 1918 Androff Oct. 16, 1928 Kucki Apr. 20, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Jan. '7, 1909 Great Britain May 17, 1928 Great Britain May 24, 1934 

